Brush for electric machines.



PATENTED SEPT. 8,1903.

No. 788,478. C. R. PHILLIPS.

BRUSH FOR ELECTRIC MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1903.

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Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS R. PHILLIPS, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRUSH FOR ELECTRIC MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 738,478, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed June IZ, 1903. Serial No. 161,174. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS R. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Brushes for Electric Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of the present invention is to prolong the life of the commutator and also of the brushes, especially in cases where the machine is subjected to overloads.

Another object of the invention is to provide for satisfactorily lubricating carbon brushes.

To these and other ends hereinafter set forth the invention, stated in general terms, comprises a carbon brush provided with oil or lubricant holding wells, which extend nearly to but not through its working or contact face; and the invention further comprises the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a carbon brush embodying features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is an end view illustrating a brush embodying the invention in application to a commutator.

In the drawings, 1 is a carbon brush provided with wells or openings 2, of which three are shown, although the number may be increased or diminished. These wells or openings 2 extend nearly to but not through the working face 3 of the brush and are adapted to receive and contain a lubricant, suoli as oil. In use the oil or lubricantpermeates the portion of the brush between the bottoms of the wells and the working face, and thus reaches the latter. In this way the face 3, which runs in contact with the commutator, and the bearing-surface of the latter are lubricated. a is a recess or concavity, which may be provided at the shank or face, which is opposite to the working face 3 and which 5o when present serves to prevent the oil or lubrioant from flowing over the top of the brush.

The operation of the described device may be explained as follows: The brush l is arranged at the top of the commutator, as shown in Fig. 3, and the other brushes 5 of carbon and without oil-wells are arranged appropriately around the commutator and, for example,between the fieldewindings 6. Lubricant from the wells 2 of the brush l permeates its imperforate end under the influence of gravity in the manner described, and thus reaches the working face of the commutator, which distributes it to the other brushes 5. The result is that all of the brushes are lubricated, and this in the case more especially of an overloaded machine obviates sparking and consequent injury to the comlnutator and at the same time prolongs the life of the brushes.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains that modications may be made in detail without departing from the spirit thereof. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but,

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A carbon brush provided with lubricant openings or wells which extend nearly to but not through its working face, substantially as described.

2. A carbon brush provided with lubricant openings or wells which extend nearly to but not through its working face and at its other face with a concavity or recess for retaining lubricant, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a commutator of a series of carbon brushes of which one is arranged at the top of the commutator and is provided with lubricant openings or wells which extend nearly to but not through its working face, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CORNELIUS R. PHILLIPS.

In presence of- W. J. JACKSON, K. M. GILLIGAN. 

